MP: Tribal rape victim’s family wants collector to take care of her, child

Fearing social stigma, the parents of a 14-year-old tribal rape victim who gave birth to a baby girl at a community health centre in MP’s Alirajpur district late on Sunday have decided to hand over the newborn to the district collector.

The victim’s mother said that the family does not want to keep the victim and her child due to social stigma.

Fearing social stigma, the parents of a 14-year-old tribal rape victim who gave birth to a baby girl at a community health centre here late on Sunday have decided to hand over the newborn to the district collector.

The victim was abducted and repeatedly raped by a 24-year-old man, identified as Brijesh Singh, police said.

On October 24, Singh abducted the victim and raped her. He kept her captive for many days and sexually assaulted her a number of times. Police rescued the girl and arrested Singh.

Police have registered a case against Singh under Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012. Singh is now in jail.

The victim’s mother, who belongs to the Bhil tribe, said that the family does not want to keep the victim and her child due to social stigma.

“Who will accept our unmarried daughter and her child?” said the victim’s mother.

“We want the district collector to take responsibility of the mother and her child,” she said.

“We asked officials, including district collector, to permit us to terminate the pregnancy, but they delayed in taking a decision, saying the matter was sub-judice.”

Alirajpur district collector Shekhar Verma rubbished the allegation, saying that the victim’s parents neither contacted him nor any other district officials seeking permission to terminate the victim’s pregnancy.

“The district administration, however, is ready to adopt the child and bear the expense to raise her,” he said.

Doctors treating the victim and her child said the condition of the mother and child is good and both are responding well to treatment.